Aack--It's That Time Again
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and even us busy writers have to stop and wonder WTF am I going to serve that day.
First off--organic or shot full of hormones? When I put it like that the choice is self evident. But have you checked out the price of organic turkeys? Sheesh, you'd think they were covered in gold. Then again, the health of one's family is priceless (yes, I'm full of cliches today...).
Second--inside or out? Stuffing or dressing? If you were raised in the north, it's the former. If you were raised in the south, the latter. So what do you do if you were raised in the former and live in the latter? You see my dilemma...
Third--sweet, white, or none. My nieces like sweet, I like white (since I almost never eat mashed potatoes and gravy any other time of year), and it would be a whole less caloric for everyone involved if there were no potatoes on the table at all.
Thanksgiving is a very complicated holiday.
Last week's NY Times Dining section led with an in-house duel between two of their food writers. One said Thanksgiving would be nothing without the turkey. The other said turkey shmerky, no one cares about the turkey. It's the sides that everyone looks forward to.
I'm a sides person myself, but you could take all the sides away and as long as you have the turkey it would still be Thanksgiving. Take the turkey away, though, and you just have another great meal.
So...here's a question (or two) for all of you out there: turkey or sides? Organic or the poor house? Stuffing or dressing? Orange, white or none? Share your holiday sagas (and recipes).
First off--organic or shot full of hormones? When I put it like that the choice is self evident. But have you checked out the price of organic turkeys? Sheesh, you'd think they were covered in gold. Then again, the health of one's family is priceless (yes, I'm full of cliches today...).
Second--inside or out? Stuffing or dressing? If you were raised in the north, it's the former. If you were raised in the south, the latter. So what do you do if you were raised in the former and live in the latter? You see my dilemma...
Third--sweet, white, or none. My nieces like sweet, I like white (since I almost never eat mashed potatoes and gravy any other time of year), and it would be a whole less caloric for everyone involved if there were no potatoes on the table at all.
Thanksgiving is a very complicated holiday.
Last week's NY Times Dining section led with an in-house duel between two of their food writers. One said Thanksgiving would be nothing without the turkey. The other said turkey shmerky, no one cares about the turkey. It's the sides that everyone looks forward to.
I'm a sides person myself, but you could take all the sides away and as long as you have the turkey it would still be Thanksgiving. Take the turkey away, though, and you just have another great meal.
So...here's a question (or two) for all of you out there: turkey or sides? Organic or the poor house? Stuffing or dressing? Orange, white or none? Share your holiday sagas (and recipes).
Labels: annie solomon, annie's world, dressing, organic turkey, stuffing, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving side dishes
posted by Annie Solomon at
7:20 AM
1 Comments:
I realize the day is long over, but here's my take on it.
Turkey breast (not whole) probably not organic since I could afford it or Sides--gotta have both
Orange and White. I like white, but my darling son loves orange prepared according to my ex-mother-in-law's recipe. Yes, I do have that recipe which she lovingly provided long after her son and I divorced. Dressing--my mom makes it. She was born in Southern Illinois and lived all her married life in Kentucky. I only eat dressing once a year, so I've never bothered to make it. I look forward some day to making a more adventurous dressing. BTW, I don't think you asked about bread vs cornbread--mom's is definitely cornbread dressing.
As for sides, I spend all my time preparing everyone's favorite sides. I worked from 3PM Wednesday to 7:30 and started again Thursday morning at 7:30 when I put the turkey in the oven. Factor in a trip to the airport to pick up my sister and brother-in-law and I had Thanksgiving dinner ready to serve at noon sharp. Wanna know what sides I had? Of course you do!
Veggie tray /w dip
Fruit: pineapple/strawberries
Cranberry mold--to die for
Deviled eggs
Dressing
Broccoli Chicken casserole--to die for (okay, those are my faves)
Greenbean casserole
Sweet potatoes with brown sugar/pecan topping
Garlic mashed potatoes
Turkey Gravey (not giblet)
Pecan pie with no added sugar vanilla ice cream
Cherry topped cheesecake
Bear in mind I cut all the fat and sugar humanly possible and the family never noticed.
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